VuQube questions and answers..

problem is the settings are going to be different every time you park. unless the truck is parked in the exact same angle and perfectly level you are going to have to adjust it every time. spin it around to find the signal before you start adjusting the elevation. as for mounting on the mirror, you need to make sure you have a good southern view of the sky, so if you are parked facing north, the sleeper or trailer may have been blocking you and you would need to raise the antenna to get a good line of sight over the trailer.

 

I thought VQube was supposed to eliminate all those problems. Wow, this is a disappointing review. I've been waiting for the price to come down to about 4-500, but I think I would want to get the model that automatically finds signal.

 

No antenna can solve line of sight problems. The more expensive VuQube antennas can do all this for you but the base model still has to be manually aimed.

 

One problem is your subscription with DISH.
Their sats are further down in altitude than Direct-TV and in the higher elevations (closer to Canada and further west or east) the sats are near the horizon.
I had a friend that switched from D-TV to DISH (to save money) and he had the same problem (using just a dish). He eventually canceled his subscription and went back to D-TV.
I have a circular dish mounted on the passenger side mirror in such a manner that I can "shoot" over the top of the cab or trailer if necessary. And this is my preferred method since some newbee backed into my dish at the Lake Station TA, breaking my LNB. Try replacing one of those while on the road.
I never have a problem getting a signal and it usually takes me no longer than 5 minutes to set it up, most of the time; far less than that.
But again; I have had Sat on my truck for about 12 years now, ever since Walmart started selling the dish and receiver for less than $100.
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The V10 is not hard to dial in the signal once you get the hang of it, but like anything, there are techniques.

Here are the basics

- KNOW that "12 O'Clock high" on that little 360-degree clock face on the remote means that it is pointing directly over where the coax is coming out of the Qube. So this is a HUGE concept for all V10 users, but even bigger for you because you have the mirror bracket, which means that your Qube isn't mounted in the same position relative to the truck every night either. So just mount it and get it pretty much level.
- (get a compass. $5.) Know where Texas is in relation to where you are parked, cuz you're going to point it that way.
- Check the book or the on-screen display to set your proper elevation number first on the remote.
- Once you have the elevation in, all you have to do is sweep that area toward Texas until the signal comes in on the screen. If you have a compass with "Azimuth" graduations around the outside of it, then you can really pinpoint where the satellite is before hand because your Dish Network (or DirectTV) satellite screen will tell you the azimuth if you enter your current zip code.
- Once you get a blip on the signal strength, use the up/down and left/right arrows on the rote to fine-tune for the best signal.

NOW, here's some particulars pertaining to more advanced stuff once you get those basics down:

- Dish Network uses two satellites so you have some of your channels on the 110 and some on the 119. So once you find the first one, you hold down the "satellite 1" button until the screen says "P1" and that one is saved. Then go find the second satellite and hold down the "satellite 2" button until the screen says "P2" and that one is also saved.
- DirectTV only uses one satellite, so you obviously only have to find the
101 and you don't have to necessarily lock it in afterwards.
- If you want HiDef signal then you have to go with Dish Network.

LOCAL channels note: If you are in your general home area (where you have your account address) and you are paying for local channels, then you'll get the same thing as you get at home. If you are NOT in your local area then you will get a "hit and miss" type of mixture of local channels for that area by searching the channel menu. For Direct TV the local channels are on the 119 satellite (same one that Dish uses) and for Dish Network the locals are on the 110 satellite. You will not likely ever get 100% of the local channels that you get when you are in your home area though.

The factory has put up some very good guides to walk you through just about any question on finding the signal here: http://www.kingcontrols.com/support_center/sc_vuqube.asp

Moos - give me a call when you get stopped if you want to discuss further.

- Don

 

Talk to me like the idiot that I am. I bit the bullet and am the proud owner of a Vuqube 3000. Looks nice on the truck but beyond that I can't say I am impressed. I have Dish TV and the manual seems to think I can push a few buttons, hold down some buttons and then kick back and watch TV. So far all I have watched are flashing lights and the only thing I have inclined to kick back is the receiver or the TV or the VuQube. Right now any and all are on my list
But the tech support at Dish are getting within range of my kicking list
I am currently in Tulsa and will be in Kansas City tomorrow. Do I hit the stupid on button 20 times for Dish with H D? Or do I hit it 12 times for Dish 500. I know that has to be a stupid question but when I did the H D setup I got channels twice while it was looking for satellites but after the light turned green after the 3rd pass all I got was complete signal loss. The receiver remote keeps bringing up the TV menu. I accidentally got to the Dish installation menu a few times but the remote only controls the TV and won't let me get to the switch test
Any help would be greatly appreciated since Dish can't figure it out and neither can their installers.

 

I had one, and after 8 months of vuQube Bull crap, I tossed in the trash, will never waste my money with them again, Jusy my opinion

 

I don't have the VuCube, I have the Dish Tailgater which is essentially the same thing I use on my 5th Wheel travel trailer ... It's easy enough so long as you have line of site to the satellites. Every time the receiver is unplugged and then repowered, or, the system can't hold a signal for a time (moved the cube significantly from original position), the system will go through the initial setup/scan/switch test/guide update phases.

It will lose signal in a light/moderate rainfall situation, and I set it on the ground any where I can get a good line of site to the southwest and about 40 degrees+ above horizon and it works great. It (VuCube or Tailgater) is NOT intended for use in a moving vehicle scenario. It receives needed power through the coax from the receiver so no need for seperate power line.